Powerful computerized image editing tools are currently available which enable a graphics artist to produce sophisticated digital images for almost any purpose. These programs frequently provide a robust set of image creation tools for creating precise geometric shapes, adding freehand image segments, modifying and manipulating digital photographs, composing and shaping lettering, and adding fill solid, gradient and patterned fill colors. Such programs do not, however, eliminate the need for artistic talent, and the rich assortment of illustration tools built into the more powerful image creation programs requires a significant investment of time before even a skilled artist or illustrator can become fully proficient with such a tool.
Those without the time or skill needed to create original drawings can instead rely upon a rich assortment of previously created "clip art" which is made available in purchasable libraries, frequently stored on CD ROM disks whose large storage capacity is often needed to store the large data files needed, particularly for bit-mapped images. Clip art often takes the form of image segments, such as borders and iconic symbols which are often combined with text to form a composite image tailored to the particular needs.
To form such an composite image, the clip-art image elements are normally specified by their file name using a dialog box and inserted into the target page, then moved into the desired position and sized as needed. This use of insertable clip-art files, although requiring less artistic skill that the creation of original images, remains a time consuming process which often falls short of producing the most pleasing result, particular when many image elements must each be chosen from many alternatives. As a consequence, unskilled users frequently resort to the use of a limited number of standard graphical templates which are used for all purposes, simply because the creation of specially tailored images to suit particular circumstances is a time consuming process which often yields unsatisfactory images that reveal that their creator is an amateur.